1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storable and deployable fire escape and more particularly pertains to a new fire escape system for providing a means for escape from building structures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of storable and deployable fire escape is known in the prior art. More specifically, storable and deployable fire escape heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,145; U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,871; U.S. Pat. No. 2,529,112; U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,561; U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,833; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 370,736.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new fire escape system. The inventive device includes a container having an open front, a back wall, and a door hingedly attached to the container and closeable over the open front, and further includes a motor, a switch member connected to the motor, a battery connected to the switch member, a rotatable first shaft journaled inside the container and driven by the motor, a pair of elongate flexible members carried by the rotatable first shaft, a plurality of rungs having a plurality of stand-off members at the ends thereof and being securely attached to the elongate flexible members with the stand-off members being moveably received in tracks. As a second embodiment, a winch which includes a motor carries a flexible line which is carried about two four-way bearing members and is connected to a lift member which is operated by remote control. As a third embodiment, a spool member carries a flexible line which is carried about two pulleys and is connected to a pair of elongate flexible members which support a plurality of rungs with the bottom rung being weighted.
In these respects, the fire escape system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a means for escape from building structures.